Prior to this week, Mepham had only missed one game since joining the Black Cats from Bournemouth, with his omission from December’s win over Stoke City having been enforced following his sending off in the previous game against Sheffield United.
This week’s absence was different, with Mepham having been available for selection against Luton, only to find himself on the bench as Le Bris opted to start with Dan Ballard alongside Luke O’Nien at the heart of the back four.
It remains to be seen who the Sunderland boss will select when Sunderland travel to Elland Road to face Leeds United on Monday, with Le Bris having been impressed by Ballard’s performance on Wednesday but also being mindful of what Mepham can offer.
“I think it is a very normal dynamic for a player over the course of a season,” said Le Bris. “He (Mepham) didn’t play a lot of football last season and, this season, he has played many, many minutes. He has really been very impressive.
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“He’s still very important for the team, his experience is huge and his connection with the team very impressive. He didn’t start this game (against Leeds), but it is just about managing the competition in the team.
“It’s a good example because Ballard played very well and it shows that you need to create conditions to exploit the main strengths of your players. They like competition. Of course, they like it more when they are in the team rather than when they are on the bench. But they understand it (competition) helps them reach their full potential. As a head coach, I know I need three or four players for two positions over the course of a season.”
In the remaining 14 matches, Le Bris expects there will be further occasions when he opts to change his back four. On the whole, though, he would rather have a consistency of selection within his backline.
“It is possible to change now depending on the opposition, but at the same time, it is a question of momentum,” said the Sunderland boss. “We know that it’s really difficult to maintain the same level, so when you have players at their top level, I think you keep it.
“When they play well, keep it, and then maybe if we feel they are a little tired, for a specific game we can rotate. But for sure, when they are playing well, it is better to keep the same structure.”
